أُمامَةُ كَيفَ لي بِإِمامِ صِدقٍ

أُمامَةُ كَيفَ لي بِإِمامِ صِدقٍ

وَدائي مُشرِقي فَمَتى مَعادي

وَدائي مُشرِقي فَمَتى مَعادي

Umama, how can I find a true guide?

Ummama, how can I have a truthful leader

And my illness chokes me; so when shall I return?

And when is my shining morning, the time of our promise

فَخافي شِرَّتي وَدَعي رَجائي

فَخافي شِرَّتي وَدَعي رَجائي

فَإِنّي مِثلَ عادِ الناسِ عادِ

فَإِنّي مِثلَ عادِ الناسِ عادِ

So fear my fierceness, and give up hope in me,

So conceal my wickedness and abandon my hope

For I, like the assailant of men, am an assailant.

For I am like the people of Aad returning

كَنودٌ جاءَنا مِنها كُنودٌ

كَنودٌ جاءَنا مِنها كُنودٌ

وَأَعيا القَومَ سَعدٌ مِن سُعادِ

وَأَعيا القَومَ سَعدٌ مِن سُعادِ

From Kanud, ingratitude has come to us,

Evils came to us from them, evils

And good fortune from Su'ad has eluded the people.

And Saad ruined the people from Suaad

أَما لَكُم بَني الدُنِّيا عُقولٌ

أَما لَكُم بَني الدُنِّيا عُقولٌ

تَصُدُّ عَنِ التَنافُسِ وَالتَعادي

تَصُدُّ عَنِ التَنافُسِ وَالتَعادي

Have you no minds, children of this world,

O children of the world, do you not have minds

To restrain you from rivalry and mutual hostility?

That turn away from competition and hostility

أَسُنَّتُنا المَآلُ إِلى صَعيدٍ

أَسُنَّتُنا المَآلُ إِلى صَعيدٍ

فَما بالُ الأَسِنَّةِ وَالصِعادِ

فَما بالُ الأَسِنَّةِ وَالصِعادِ

Is it our lot to end in bare earth?

Our tongues will end up as dust

Then why the spearheads and spear shafts?

So what is with tongues and dust

وَمَن يَكُ حَظُّهُ مِنكُم دُنُوّاً

وَمَن يَكُ حَظُّهُ مِنكُم دُنُوّاً

فَإِنَّ أَجَلَّ حَظّي في البُعادِ

فَإِنَّ أَجَلَّ حَظّي في البُعادِ

And whoever among you has closeness for his lot—

And whoever's lot among you is to be brought low

Indeed, my greatest fortune lies in keeping far away.

Then my best lot is in remoteness

وَقَد جَرَّبتُكُم فَوَجَدتُ جَهلاً

وَقَد جَرَّبتُكُم فَوَجَدتُ جَهلاً

مُبيناً في السِباطِ وَفي الجِعادِ

مُبيناً في السِباطِ وَفي الجِعادِ

And I have tested you, and so found ignorance

And I have tried you and found clear ignorance

Plain among the straight-haired and the curly-haired.

Among the young and the old

أَذاةٌ مِن صَديقٍ أَو عَدوٍّ

أَذاةٌ مِن صَديقٍ أَو عَدوٍّ

فَبُؤسٌ لِلأَصادِقِ وَالأَعادي

فَبُؤسٌ لِلأَصادِقِ وَالأَعادي

Harm comes from friend or foe;

Harm from a friend or enemy

So woe to friends and enemies!

Is misery for the sincere and hostile

وَتَغدِرُ هَذِهِ الأَيّامُ مِنّي

وَتَغدِرُ هَذِهِ الأَيّامُ مِنّي

كَما أَغدَرنَ مِن إِرَمٍ وَعادِ

كَما أَغدَرنَ مِن إِرَمٍ وَعادِ

And these days will leave of me

And these days betray me

As much as they left of Iram and 'Ad.

As they betrayed Iram and Aad